Lawyers e-Journal

Thursday, Sep. 24, 2009

Law Practice Management Tip

How a solo practitioner goes on vacation

Being a solo practitioner for two years, I finally decided to
take my first real vacation for an entire week. Through it all, I
learned that there are three things necessary to effectuate a
vacation for a solo practitioner: preparation, technology, and
balance.

Preparation

Plan your vacation in advance and pick a time when you have no
court or meeting obligations. Even though you might have picked a
good time, things come up such as court dates being scheduled
without your input - so you must arrange for a substitute for your
cases. Look to networking attorneys and groups for attorneys that
are in your practice area and ask them to substitute for you if
necessary. Call them in advance and have them on stand-by while
you're on vacation just in case. And always offer to return the
favor when they need you.

Technology

I run a pseudo paperless office in that all my files are scanned
into the computer yet I still maintain paper copies of all cases
I'm working on currently for convenience in flipping through the
file. Having all your files with you on a thumb drive not only
gives you the ability to work anywhere, but also alleviates stress
in the event something urgent might come up. With a blackberry,
thumb drive and an Internet connection, you can work from
anywhere.

Balance

If you could work from anywhere, then it's not really a
vacation. The key is to not completely drop all your work habits
because for solos, that's nearly impossible - either because we
have too much responsibility to the practice and/or because you're
simply too worried. Check your e-mails and voicemails. It's OK -
just don't do it constantly. Check your e-mail once or twice a day.
Check voicemails and answer phone calls only when it's convenient
for you - not clients. Make appointments for when you come back
because believe me, it can wait.

For more helpful tips, join the MBA's Law Practice Management
Section. Call MBA Member Services at (617) 338-0530 to join.
To learn more about the Law Practice Management Section,
contact Co-Chairs Andrea
Goldman or
Rodney Dowell.